Intel is apparently about to launch its “Light Peak” interconnect, offering 10Gb/sec. data transfer and the ability to connect multiple peripherals to a single cable. The technology will be announced tomorrow on MacBook Pro notebooks from Apple, where it will be branded “Thunderbolt,” according to multiple reports.

(more…)

Acrosser is shipping a fanless, industrial-grade vehicle computer with extended temperature support and intelligent power management. The rugged AR-V5403FL supports a range of mature Intel processors including the Core 2 Duo, provides CompactFlash and SATA storage, and provides connectivity including gigabit Ethernet, USB, serial, and optional wireless.

(more…)

Google released the final Android 3.0 (“Honeycomb”) SDK to developers, offering a number of enhancements compared to last month's preliminary build, including UI Builder improvements in the ADT Plugin. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless and Motorola will launch the first Honeycomb tablet, the Motorola Xoom, on Feb. 24, and Adobe says the Xoom will receive a Flash Player 10.2 update in late March.

(more…)

The 20th annual RSA Conference in San Francisco came to a close Feb. 18, ending a week of product announcements, keynotes, and educational sessions that produced their share of security-related news stories, including EMC's Cloud Trust Authority. This year's hot topics included cloud computing and cyber-war.

(more…)

Ibase announced a fanless barebone computer equipped with a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7-620M CPU. The AMI200-953 comes with 4GB DDR3 memory, a 40GB hard disk, dual Ethernet ports, eight USB ports, a serial port, plus DVI-I, DVI-D, and VGA ports with dual display capability, says the company.

(more…)

The Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG) has comes up with a ruggedized alternative to SO-DIMM that offers more flexibility in memory sizes compared to memory soldered to a CPU board. The RS-DIMM Rugged Memory Specification, supported by two upcoming Swissbit and Virtium Technology modules, defines a rugged, DDR3 mezzanine memory module with a pin-and-socket connector optimized for small CPU boards.

(more…)

Vic has begun selling an Ubuntu Linux-based, double-DIN car computer with GPS and 3G HSDPA for approximately $410. Based on an Intel Celeron M processor with 2GB of DDR2 memory, the NaviSurfer II Ubu-3G offers a 250GB hard disk drive, a seven-inch, 800 x 480 touchscreen, and extensive connectivity including multiple camera inputs, says the company.

(more…)

Vecow announced a fanless industrial computer that employs Intel Core i7/15 processors and is designed for harsh environments. The Vecow EC-3000 Fanless Embedded Controller offers up to 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, plus SATA and Compact Flash storage, mini-PCIe expansion, up to five gigabit Ethernet ports, six USB 2.0 ports, four serial ports, and dual display capability, says the company.

(more…)

Despite the tablet mania sweeping the consumer electronic industry, a Gartner survey found that tablet computers rank the lowest on Americans' tech wishlists for 2011. Smartphones topped the list of desired devices, especially those with open source operating systems, while laptops and desktops were next in line for consumer spending plans, says the research study.

(more…)

Calao Systems announced an open-platform, 3.34 x 3.34-inch development board for smartphones and tablets based on ST-Ericsson' dual-core, 1GHz Cortex-A9 “Nova A9500” system-on-chip. The “Snowball” board offers extensive wireless and sensor connectivity, HDMI output, support from an open source “Igloo” community, and Android, MeeGo, and Ubuntu BSPs developed by Movial and Linaro.

(more…)

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts and Texas A&M have developed a way to use flash memory in gadgets that use low power or have no batteries at all. Applied to a sensor-monitoring application using a 1.8 Volt microcontroller, the researchers' “persistence” technique reduced overall energy consumption by 34 percent, says the researchers.

(more…)

Debian 6 will play well in server deployments that draw on open source components, as well as for desktop Linux users who require configuration flexibility, says this eWEEK review. Welcome additions are said to include Ubuntu's Software Center and a new GNU/kFreeBSD variant that opens up the open source OS to a wider audience.

(more…)

Stanford University researchers have announced a breakthrough that could nearly double the throughput of wireless networks. The “antenna cancellation” technology has already been demonstrated in office settings and, once perfected, will add little cost to Wi-Fi equipment, according to the university.

(more…)

Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha said a Google music application will be available with the Motorola Xoom tablet later this year. Also this week, Motorola confirmed the $799 (unsubsidized) pricing for the Android 3.0 tablet and announced the retailers that will participate in the tablet's second-quarter release in the U.K.

(more…)

Adlink announced a fanless, Atom N270-based industrial computer featuring extended temperature support and 12 serial ports, some of them programmable. The MXE-1200 offers CompactFlash storage, Mini PCI Express and SIM slots, LVDS and VGA, gigabit Ethernet outputs, and the ability to work on power supplies from 6~36 Volts, the company says.

(more…)